Reaction
by MinnieBSB
Summary: AU and EO! Olivia is an aspiring actress that's stuck working at a bar, and handling her crazy ex, Brian. Elliot is a detective that works for the Manhattan SVU, and happens to be Olivia's best and most supportive friend. Eventual EO of course. Love y'all!
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Hey there! I know that I've started quite a few stories lately, but I just can't help it. I've been feeling inspired! I usually don't like to explain too much with the first chapter, but I feel like this one needs it. This story is indeed AU, where Elliot is still a detective but Olivia is not. Olivia is an aspiring actress that currently works at bar named TJ's. She is a hard working woman that is doing everything she can to reach her goal. I have a couple of chapters of this done and Kathy hasn't come up at all, so just pretend she didn't happen, okay? Finally, I am aware that the title doesn't really make sense, but I couldn't think of anything else and it will make sense eventually, just not now. I don't actually feel 100% confident that there will be any interest in this story, so please let me know if you think I should continue? Love y'all!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Law and Order SVU or the characters.**

"Hey, El. I haven't seen you in a couple of days. Let me guess, tough case?"

Elliot sighed, plopping down on his usual stool.

"Tough is putting it nicely". The bartender handed him a Sam Adams Boston Lager, knowing exactly what he needed. She leaned in, resting her elbows on the counter.

"Want to talk about it?" She offered. Currently, only two other people were in the bar, and with all the touching Olivia had seen from the young couple, she doubted they would be there much longer. Surprisingly, 1:00 am on a Wednesday was not their busiest time.

Elliot shook his head, "I spent the last 29 hours talking about it, I'm ready for a break".

"29 hours? How'd you even have enough energy to get here?"

Elliot shrugged. "I had to come see my favorite bartender". He took a long swig of his beer, trying to rid himself of the stress of the case. "Oh, what did you have to show me? I got your text yesterday but I was a little busy".

He saw the excitement in her eyes at the mentions of her news. She reached under the bar, grabbing the folder that she kept her headshots and resumes in. When she first told him about it, he had teased her for keeping it on her at work, but secretly he thought it was a brilliant idea. You never knew who would walk through the door when you lived in Manhattan. Olivia eagerly handed him a couple of pictures.

"These are my new headshots. Don't they look great?"

Elliot examined the pictures, smiling at how happy she looked in the first, and her serious expression in the second. His eyes went wide at the third one.

She giggled, enjoying the fact that Elliot seemed to like them. "A college friend used to be a cop so she let me borrow her uniform for that one. It really won't be useful for much, but I thought it'd be fun to have a costume picture, even if I am the only one who sees it. What do you think?"

They were interrupted by the young couple, who quickly paid and left.

"I bet they're really worried about getting up nice and early for work" Olivia joked.

Elliot put some cash down on the bar, making Olivia roll her eyes. He would never just hand it to her, just to be a pain in the ass.

"Why don't you close for the night and come over for a bit? I'm not going to be able to sleep".

One thing that Olivia loved about her job was that she could close anytime after midnight Monday-Thursday. Teddy, the owner, understood that most people didn't want to stay out all night and drink when they had to go to work the next morning. Elliot was her last customer and led her out almost every night. She wasn't sure if that was because he was a good friend, or because he was overprotective. Either way, she appreciated it.

"I just need to wipe down the bar and then we can go".

Olivia was laying on Elliot's couch, her feet resting in his lap. She was amazed at the fact that he was wide awake while she was falling asleep. Actually, a lot of things about Elliot amazed her. He was the best friend a person could ask for and an even better cop. She thought back to the first time she met him.

 _It was her first night working at TJ's alone and a group of four men came in very late. They were a calm group at first, but after a couple of rounds they became quite rowdy. It was manageable until one of the men tugged on her skirt, demanding that she give him her number. She politely turned him down, removing his hand from her with a forced smile. As the night went on, the men continued to drink and make vulgar comments about her. Unfortunately, they weren't drunk enough for her to cut them off. That, and she didn't want her boss to think that she couldn't handle it. The bills wouldn't pay themselves, so she needed the job. Around 3 am, the group left, leaving her to close alone. By 3:30, she was out the door and walking home. It was dark and there were few lights on the backstreets. She would have just taken a cab, but she really couldn't afford the fare. A strange noise came from behind her, but she brushed it off assuming that it was just another city sound. The next thing she knew, she was on the ground, forced down by the weight of a man on top of her._

 _Her head was killing her, probably because it had hit the sidewalk. Her arms were stuck underneath her, and her kicking legs did nothing to stop him. It was dark and no one was around. As hard as she tried, she couldn't scream. Hell, she could barely breathe. The monster's hands were everywhere, squeezing different parts of her._

" _So sexy" She heard him say. His speech was slurred, but she knew that voice. Even if she couldn't stop him, she was going to do her best to get a glimpse of his face. Then he ripped her skirt._

" _Bet you wish you gave me your number now, bitch" He hissed._

 _All of the fight drained out of her as sobs overtook her body. He was going to rape her and there was nothing she could do about it._

" _NYPD" A booming voice yelled. The next thing she knew, the weight was gone and she was being lifted off of the sidewalk._

" _I'm Detective Elliot Stabler from the Manhattan Special Victims Unit. Are you okay?"_

 _Olivia clung on to the detective, scared to let go._

" _He-he tried to rape me" She managed to force out between sobs. The other cop had the drunken, pathetic excuse for a man in cuffs, comforting her a little bit._

" _Let's go get you checked out, okay?"_

 _As if on cue, an ambulance pulled up. Olivia wanted to refuse, but the cut on her head was bleeding quite badly, and she was starting to feel faint._

" _Will you come with me?" She asked feeling vulnerable._

" _Of course Miss…"_

" _Benson. Olivia Benson"._

 _Elliot stayed with her until it was time for her to change into the hospital gown. Even then he was right outside the door. He held her hand while the doctor stitched her wound and comforted her when it hurt. He gave her his home phone number, insisting that she call if she needed absolutely anything._

 _It took three days for her to crack and call him. It was her first night back at work since the attack and she was alone with two male customers. They hadn't necessarily done anything to make her feel threatened, but she was so anxious that she could barely breathe. Despite being off of the clock, Elliot came and sat at the bar, simply talking to her until her shift ended, and then some. That was the first of many nights together. Now, four years later, they spent practically every night together._

Elliot's hand on her foot brought her out of her thoughts. He was staring at the tv while gently massaging her tired feet. She stretched out, giggling when he hit a super sensitive spot.

"Feel good?" He teased.

"You're the one that worked 29 hours straight but I'm getting the foot rub".

"I didn't have to wear heels" Elliot retorted. He had a good point there. "So Liv, why'd you get your headshots redone? I thought your old ones were taken like six months ago".

"As you know I just got an agent, and she politely told me that the quality was so bad that it distracted from my beautiful face. I have a photographer friend that owed me a favor so it just worked out".

"You know, you have a lot of 'friends' when it comes to random things" Elliot pointed out.

"Networking is half the business, El. The more people you know, the more strings you can pull. My agent Miranda told me that these headshots are awesome, so keep your fingers crossed and pray that I get an audition soon. It's been a while. Did your captain give you tomorrow off?" She questioned, changing the subject.

Elliot nodded. "Yeah. He actually expects us to sleep".

Olivia suddenly sat up, making Elliot jump.

"Here lay down" She insisted, tugging on his sleeve. Once he was on his stomach, Olivia settled on her knees on the floor beside him.

"Now close your eyes and relax" She ordered as her hands rested on his lower back. It had been a while since she had given one, but her ex-boyfriend Brian always told her that her massages were legendary. By the smile on his face, she could tell that Elliot was enjoying himself. It only took a few minutes for him to relax, but it was almost as if he was fighting off sleep. She knew that he was trying to avoid nightmares, but his body needed sleep.

"It's okay to sleep, El. I'll just crash here tonight".

She slept at his place plenty of times, making the guest room pretty much hers. He was too tired to drive and she still wasn't comfortable getting home by herself late at night. She had been doing well for a while, but now there was Brian to consider. Not that she had told Elliot about that…

One hand ran through his hair while the other worked the tense spot between his shoulder blades.

"Gotta get you clothes" He sleepily mumbled.

"I know where they are. Just get some rest, okay?"

He didn't answer, so she assumed that he had finally fallen asleep. Realizing how late it was, Olivia decided to get herself to bed too.

A few hours later, Elliot awoke, gasping. The bad cases always led to nightmares, but instead of the actual victim, Olivia was in their place. As ridiculous as it sounded, he couldn't rest until he checked on her. It took all of his strength to push himself off of the couch and over to the guest room. Olivia had left the door open, which meant that she had expected him to come. He saw that she was awake, so he sat on the edge of the bed.

"Come here" Olivia said patting the spot next to her on the bed.

"Neither of us slept enough so maybe we'll both be able to".

If he weren't so tired, he probably would have argued about it being a bad idea. This was new for them and the last thing he wanted to do was complicate their friendship. Lately, they had been doing a lot of things that made him question exactly what they were. Olivia and Brian had only broken up a month ago, so Elliot figured that she'd need more time before talking about anything serious anyway. He settled next to her, leaving plenty of space between the two of them. Olivia on the other hand had a different idea. She turned over, grabbing his arm and using it as a pillow. Maybe she was having a hard time adjusting to being alone in bed, but he wasn't sure if that was such a bad thing anymore.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Hello there! I forgot to clarify that I have absolutely no clue how the audition process works outside of the theater. I don't have an agent and I don't know anyone that does so I did my best to research online. It's fiction, so please forgive me if I have it wrong. I like the idea of giving two chapters to start, because sometimes one just isn't enough. Reviews make me happy! So does money, but I'm sure you'd rather give me a review :)**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Law and Order SVU or the characters. I also do not own the monologue 'Night Mother.**

When Olivia awoke the next morning, Elliot was no longer in bed with her. She wasn't surprised though. Elliot had always been a short sleeper. She was trying to figure out why she was awake so early though. The irritating ring answered that question.

"Olivia Benson" She tried to say in a sweet tone.

"Hey Livvie, you are going to love me" Miranda said in a way too peppy for morning voice.

"Are you going to let me go back to sleep?" She only partially joked.

"Fine, I guess I won't tell you how the best agent ever got you three auditions".

Olivia sat up, suddenly feeling wide awake.

"Do tell".

Miranda chuckled before continuing. "The first one is a mouthwash commercial. No speaking but they loved your headshots and want you to come in today at 3. The second is a modeling gig for a department store. They want to see you in person on Thursday. I'll send you the details on those after we hang up. Now, I need you to listen to me very closely for the third one. NBC is casting for a new show so I sent your stuff to a friend who knows and friend and so on. It was a total shot in the dark, but what could it hurt? I got a call from the casting director ten minutes before I called you, and she said that she wants you to come audition. You have the look they want, Liv, but there are going to be people there that have been in the business longer and have their name out there. Honestly, you're chances are pretty slim, but there is still a chance".

"It sounds like you don't want me to do it".

Miranda sighed. "I just want you to really think about it, because the audition is in LA".

"Oh".

They were silent for a moment, going over the pros and cons in their heads.

"How about you call me sometime today with your decision? I'll send you the description I was given. I think that will help".

They said their goodbyes, ending the phone call.

"You look stressed" Elliot said as he took his place on the edge of the bed.

"I am. Can you take me to my place? I have to get ready for an audition".

Elliot nodded. "Is that what has you stressed out? You'll be amazing, Liv. I know it".

She smiled, appreciating his faith in her.

"Thank you, but it's actually not that one that's stressing me out. My agent called me to tell me that a casting director from NBC wants me to go to LA and audition for a new show".

Elliot's jaw dropped. "Olivia, that's awesome news".

"And I agree, but I have no clue what the show is, what the part is, or-"

"Best friends are supposed to be honest, right?" He interrupted. "Well, I think that you are being dumb. This is an awesome opportunity to get your name out there. Even if you don't get whatever the part is, you're still being seen by a casting director for NBC".

"I know, but I don't think I can afford to take off work, fly out there, and a hotel for the week. I'm barely making rent now. My cable and internet were shut off last week and I hate Brian so much for being right. I can't do this on my own".

"Oh, Liv. Why didn't you tell me? You know what, you're going to that audition. I haven't been on a vacation in seven years and I would love to check out LA. As long as you promise to enjoy yourself, I'll pay for everything".

"You can't do that".

"Yes, I can" He insisted. "I'm allowed to want to go on a vacation that we both deserve".

Olivia rolled her eyes. "I meant you can't just pay for me".

Elliot shrugged. "You can pay me back when you get the job".

"You're an ass, but you win. We're going to LA".

*11:00pm*

Olivia enjoyed her nachos while Charlie, the bar's chef stood behind the bar. The kitchen closed at 11:00pm Monday-Thursday, but Charlie left at 11:30 so that Olivia could eat. Due to her financial situation, most of her meals were during her shift. Teddy had told her that she could have as many appetizers as she wanted, as long as the customers weren't neglected.

"Elliot's here" Charlie warned quietly, gesturing to his chin. Olivia wiped her own, getting the cheese off of her face. That would have been embarrassing.

"How'd your audition go?" Elliot asked as he took the stool next to her.

"I have a callback tomorrow morning. They loved my smile".

"Liv, that guy is outside again" Charlie interrupted.

Elliot looked over, spotting a very pissed off Brian Cassidy staring at them through the window. There was something about the way he was looking at Olivia that unnerved Elliot.

"What do you mean again?" Elliot asked Charlie.

Olivia glared at Charlie, daring him to say a word to Elliot…

"He's done this every night since they broke up. He stands out there for like an hour, just watching her. One night he stayed until she left".

"Thanks Charlie" She spat.

"I'm sorry, Liv, but it's creepy. You can handle yourself but you don't know what crazy shit he'll try" Charlie explained.

"You're closing early tonight" Elliot informed as he got up. He was calling someone.

Charlie nodded in agreement, already starting to wipe down the bar.

"I'll get the mop" Olivia said, knowing that there was no use in fighting either of them. Besides, Brian was eyeing her even more today and it was freaking her out. It didn't take long for them to clean, and Brian was gone by the time they finished. Elliot wrapped his arm around her shoulders, leading her to the door.

"I'll lock up" Charlie promised.

"Thank you". She looked over at Elliot taking in his stern expression.

"Where are we going?" She asked, knowing that he wouldn't let her go home.

"Precinct" Was his short answer.

It was boring up in the cribs, but Elliot had brought her the newspaper and some old magazines. He was downstairs talking to one of his coworkers, Fin. The detectives were trying to figure out what they could do about Brian, but Olivia already knew the answer. Being a cop himself, Brian knew exactly how to keep himself out of hadn't made any contact with her, and no judge would sign a restraining order since he'd be able to claim that it was a coincidence or that he was out for an evening stroll. She hated staying here, but Elliot was trying to keep her safe. It didn't help that Cassidy knew where she lived. The man had ruined her financially and now he was torturing her. She couldn't even go home without feeling like she was being watched. What bothered her the most was that Brian was a great guy in the beginning of their relationship, but then one day it was like he was a completely different person. He would come home drunk, or pissed off at her for absolutely nothing. He would insult her cooking, or how she dressed. He would make her feel like nothing so she would see him as everything. There was something wrong with him and she was glad that she ended it when she did. Assholes like that deserved to be alone. No one would treat Olivia Benson like that. Elliot opened the door, looking at her for a long moment. He came and sat next to her on the bunk, only offering a half smile.

"Let me guess, there's no evidence so there's nothing that can be done".

Elliot opened his mouth, but quickly closed it again. She wasn't technically wrong.

"Let's just get some sleep" He suggested, sounding defeated.

"You go ahead. I need to practice my monologue since we're going to LA next week".

She did a little dance on her bunk, making him laugh.

"You think that you're going to need a monologue for a tv show?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I haven't auditioned for tv before. Miranda said she'd email me the details, but I haven't been able to check. I'd rather have it ready and not need it". She quickly grabbed her folder and took a paper out, handing it to Elliot. She stood in the space between the two sets of bunk beds.

Elliot cleared his throat, getting himself ready for the role that she always made him play.

"Hi, I'm Olivia Benson and I'm 27 years old" She said with a sweet smile on her face. Slating was always her least favorite part of the audition. Telling someone your age the moment you met them felt so unnatural.

"Do you have anything prepared Olivia?" Elliot asked in his best auditioner voice.

"Yes, actually. I'll be performing 'Night Mother by Marsha Norman".

Watching her rehearse was one of his favorite things to do. The woman was insanely talented, and he knew the casting directors would love her too. He hadn't heard her do this one before, so it was going to be interesting.

" _Mama, I only told you I was going to kill myself so I could explain it, so you wouldn't blame yourself, so you wouldn't feel bad. There wasn't anything you could say to change my mind. I didn't want you to save me. I just wanted you to know. Don't you see, Mama, everything I do winds up like this. How could I think you would understand? How could I think you would want a manicure? That we could hold hands for an hour and then I could go shoot myself? I'm sorry about tonight, Mama, but it's exactly why I'm doing it. I'm not giving up! This is the other thing I'm trying. And I'm sure there are some other things that might work. This will work. That's why I picked it. Mama, listen. I am not your child, I am what became of your child. I found an old baby picture of me. And it was somebody else, not me. It was somebody pink and fat who never heard of sick or lonely, somebody who cried and got fed, and reached up and got held and kicked but didn't hurt anybody, and slept whenever she wanted to, just by closing her eyes. Somebody who mainly just laid there and laughed at the colors waving around her head and chewed on a polka-dot whale and woke up knowing some new trick nearly every day and rolled over and drooled on the sheet and felt your hand pulling my quilt back up over me. That's who I started out and this is who is left. That's what this is about. It's somebody I lost, all right, it's my own self. Who I never was. Or who I tried to be and never got there. Somebody I waited for who never came. And never will. So, see, it doesn't much matter what else happens in the world or in this house, even. I'm what was worthing waiting for and I didn't make it. Me...who might have made a difference to me...I'm not going to show up, so there's no reason to stay, except to keep you company, and that's...not reason enough because I'm not...very good company. Am I?"_

Normally, Elliot would remain stoic. Then after a moment of thinking, he'd ask her to repeat her audition but with some weird twist like pretending she was on the moon, or with a German accent. This time was very different though. Olivia was crying, not her character. He had no clue what made the switch in her head flip, but he wanted nothing more than to run over to her and take her into his arms, but he couldn't. He was so floored by her performance that his body was frozen. A piece of her soul had been taken with that performance. It was raw and breath-taking. She had embraced every emotion, putting everything on the table. He knew that he should say something, but what could he say? She furiously wiped away the tears, trying to control her breathing again.

"Liv" He softly said, making her look at him. "I don't know the show at all, but that monologue...wow. Why'd you pick it?" He asked, needing to know why she connected to it on such a deep level.

"It's a long story, El. I don't think I'm going to use it".

He stood, making his way over to her. "No, Liv. You need to use it. I promise that you will get any part you want if you give half as good of a performance as this one".

"You are too sweet sometimes, El".

"And you're too hard on yourself. Why would you even pursue a career in acting if you have no confidence in yourself?"

"I do have confidence in myself. I know that I'm talented and that I have a nice face, but thousands of other people are talented and have nice faces. Your talent isn't always what matters, it's the decisions that you make. I want to give them something that tells them everything they need to know, but makes them want more. I can't just be another pretty face".

She ran through it a few more times, growing more and more frustrated with herself. Was it as good as the first one? No, but she was still doing well in Elliot's opinion. She was so focused on perfecting it that she wouldn't have listened to him if he had told her that. After her fourth run through, Elliot suggested that they go to bed. They both had to be up early.

Olivia had been trying to get comfortable on the bed for over an hour, turning and twisting every which way. She was convinced that the NYPD had simply purchased some plywood and put some fabric on top and called it a bed. How could anyone with a spine sleep on it? She could hear Elliot softly snoring, making her jealous. He needed to teach her the trick to falling asleep so fast. If she wanted to get any sleep at all, she needed to do something. She grabbed the blanket, taking it with her to Elliot's bunk. They weren't very wide, but she knew that she could make it work. She folded her blanket in half, laying it down next to Elliot. She carefully settled on her side on top of it, primarily resting her upper half on his chest. It wasn't ideal, but it was significantly better. He stirred a bit when she adjusted the blanket so that it was covering both of them.

"What are you doing?" His voice was raspy from sleeping.

"I couldn't sleep".

Apparently that was enough of an explanation to him. Despite her slightly more comfortable arrangement, Olivia still couldn't fall asleep. All she could think about was their trip to LA. She didn't know which she was more nervous about, the audition that could change her life, or spending a whole week alone with Elliot.


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Thank you so much for your interest in this story! I'm excited because this is the story that I'm having the most fun with at the moment. I just want to take a second to acknowledge the fact that I don't actually think that Olivia would be allowed in any crime scene as a civilian. *This is fanfiction*. Let me know what you think. Love y'all!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Law and Order SVU or the characters.**

As she had expected, Olivia did not get the part for the mouthwash commercial. At least she was closer this time. To be fair, she would have picked the other woman too. Unsure of what to do or where to go, she returned to the precinct. Elliot was out with Fin, but the captain insisted that she stay. He even let her use Elliot's computer to check her email. The message from Miranda taunted her. To click or not to click, that is the question. The next thing she knew, a hand was on top of hers, moving the cursor and clicking on the emai.

"Hey!"

The graying man let go of her hand, smirking at her.

"Oops. Did I do that? My bad".

She had met John a handful of times, but he had never been such an ass to her before. Admittedly, she found it funny. No wonder Elliot was so ornery at times. It was the push she needed though. She read through the email, taking every detail and committing it to memory. She had a chance after all. Now she couldn't wait until Elliot returned.

"You look awful happy over there, Olivia" John observed.

"Well, that audition in LA just became an even bigger deal. Turns out I was called to audition for the main role!"

"That's great news. What's the show?"

She read even further, gasping. "It's a cop show!"

"Wow, talk about a lucky break".

Olivia eagerly nodded. "This is perfect. I'm in a police station. I can study everything I need to know about being a lady cop".

"What's this about being a lady cop?" Elliot asked as he approached his desk. She jumped up, wrapping her arms around him.

"I'm auditioning to be the lead in a cop show!" She squealed. "I need you to teach me everything. Maybe I can even shadow you for a few days"/

"Oh, no,no, 's not happening" Elliot clarified.

Olivia pouted, doing her very best to break him.

"Pwease, Ellie?" She begged with her most innocent tone and puppy dog eyes.

"Nice try, but no. It's way too dangerous".

"But you'd be there! I'd have a big, strong man there to protect me". She allowed her fingers to run up his arm, squeezing his bicep to emphasize her point. She was laying it on thick, but she could tell that she was wearing him down. "El, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. How many of those other women have a best friend that's a detective? You said that best friends are honest with each other, and I'm honestly going to be crushed if you don't let me do this".

Elliot sighed, accepting his defeat. "I'll talk to the captain, but I make no promises".

She did a little victory dance, making John and Fin laugh. Elliot retreated to the captain's office, embarrassed at how quickly she won.

"You have him wrapped around your finger baby girl". She smiled at Fin, twirling her hips as if she had an invisible hula hoop. These poor guys really needed some more female company.

"Should I get the wet floor sign? You two are drooling".

"I like her" Munch complimented, making them laugh.

"Olivia, could you step into my office, please?" Captain Cragen requested from the doorway of his office. She scurried into the office, closing the door behind her.

"I know that Elliot will hate me for this, but I'd like to invite you to shadow myself and him for the next two days. To keep you safe and ourselves out of trouble, you will not be involved in any open cases, but we can still let you observe".

Olivia smirked at Elliot, relishing in the fact that she won. Her phone began to ring, but something in her told her not to ignore it.

"Beverly? What's wrong? What?! Okay, thank you for calling'.

Both Elliot and Cragen were looking at her expectantly.

"That was my neighbor, Brian was in my apartment. She said that she heard a lot of banging and crashing and she wanted to make sure I wasn't home. She called the cops".

"Well, I don't think we'll have any trouble taking you to that crime scene".

Elliot and Olivia both glared at him, scolding him for joking about a serious situation.

John stayed with Olivia in the lobby while Fin, Elliot, and Cragen made sure that it was safe for her to go up. Brian had never threatened her physically, but he had finally gone off the deep end. He was going to do everything in his power to make her life hell. Something in her gut was telling her exactly why he went in the apartment, but she hoped that she was wrong. When Elliot came down, it was confirmed.

"I'm sorry, Liv, but the place is trashed. Your safe is gone".

Olivia tried to blink back the tears. "All of my money was in there".

John gave her a sympathetic look.

"I took all of my money out of our joint account a few days ago and I didn't have time to open my own account because the bank was closing. Brian must have checked the account. He was pissed at me and decided to get back at me for it. There was $2,649 in there. I don't know how I'm going to pay my bills".

She could see that Elliot wanted to take her into his arms, but she held up her hand, stopping him. What she needed right now was space. Hopefully he wouldn't take it wrong.

"Do you want to go up or do you want to stay down here?" Elliot asked quietly so the others wouldn't hear.

After the stink she made about shadowing Elliot, she wasn't going to stay in the lobby. Besides, this was the only crime scene she'd be allowed to go to with them.

"Lead me up".

The initial shock wore off after a few minutes. It was bad, but not nearly as bad as she had expected. Only a few picture frames were broken. Elliot hadn't missed the fact that Brian only broke the ones of her and Elliot, but he didn't say anything about it. That was yet another thing she hadn't informed Elliot about. Other than that, it was mostly clothing and random things from her kitchen cabinets that covered the floor. John took her aside, explaining everything that they were doing. She took notes as he explained why they knew that it was forced entry, and even let her brush some powder onto the handle of her closet door so that they could try to lift some prints. It was fascinating. The little lesson helped her to pretend that it wasn't her apartment. She was able to dive into the role that she had been given. Of course, that was all that she had been allowed to do. Cragen let Elliot go early, telling him to get Olivia out of there. He insisted on picking up food and going to his place. It was only 7:30 when they arrived, but Olivia went straight to the guest room. Elliot put the food in the fridge, not wanting to eat without her. He made his way into his bedroom, making sure the door was open so Olivia could just walk in if she felt so inclined.

Olivia buried her face into the pillow, letting out the sobs that she had been holding in. This had been one of the most stressful days she had ever encountered. She groaned at the sound of her phone ringing. Why couldn't the world leave her alone for a few hours?

"What?" She snapped.

"Olivia where are you?" Teddy asked in a pissed off tone.

"Oh shit".

"Look, I don't know what happened, but you are over two hours late".

"I know and I'm so sorry. I-"

"You're fired" Teddy said cutting her off.

"What?"

"It was in the paperwork you signed when you first started. No call, no show, no job. You can pick up your last paycheck on Friday, but I expect my key back tomorrow".

The line went dead before she could even think of something to say. She dropped her phone, not really caring what happened to it at that point. Being alone wasn't making things better, so she went to Elliot's room.

"Hey" Elliot said as he sat up. Instead of sitting next to him like he had anticipated, she crawled right into his lap, resting her head against his shoulder. He wasn't sure what she wanted him to do.

"El, I just lost my job". The tears were falling again, and she was too tired to stop them. He wouldn't think less of her.

"I have no money, my home is a mess and I'm not even allowed to stay there for the time being, and I lost my job. El, I really need you to hold me and tell me that it's gonna be okay".

Elliot wrapped one arm around her waist, using the other hand to play with her hair.

"I promise you that everything will be okay. I don't remember exactly where I saw it, but someone said that an arrow can only be shot by being pulled backwards. You're an arrow, Liv. Great things are going to happen for you, I promise".

He continued to talk to her until she fell asleep in his lap. He held her tight, secretly loving the feeling of her in his arms. They were definitely in the gray area between friends and more than friends, but she needed him right now. Maybe, just maybe, things would change between them. He didn't want to think about that now though, not when they would be going to LA together for her audition. Olivia didn't need more complications in her life right now, so he would do what he did best, wait. He carefully laid her down and tucked her in, giving her some space.

 **AN: Next chapter focuses more on audition prep!**


End file.
